March: 31, 2026
A public criminal prosecution was initiated against the 18-year-old twin brothers Davit and Mikael Minasyan in connection with the incident that took place in the Saint Anna Church.
In particular, Davit Minasyan a public criminal prosecution has been initiated against him under Article 297, Part 1 (hooliganism) and Article 452, Part 3 (interfering with the legal service or political activities of an official) of the Criminal Code, Mikael Minasyanwas charged under Article 46-297, Part 1 (supporting hooliganism) and Article 46-452, Part 3 (supporting interference with the legitimate official or political activities of an official).
At the time of writing the article, it was already known that one of the brothers, Mikayel Minasyan, was released, as a preventive measure, the ban on absence was chosen. And a petition was submitted to arrest the other brother, Davit Minasyan.
As for what kind of political activity Nikol Pashinyan, who entered the church with bodyguards in the middle of the Palm Sunday service, should have carried out in the church, let’s leave it to the experts, instead, let’s try to understand what could be the reason for this “revenge” against young people, 18-19 years old, especially when, for example, human rights activist Zhanna Aleksanyan urged Pashinyan to choose the following path, stating:
“Nikol Pashinyan, release the school boys. First of all, you caused inconvenience to the faithful and praying people with your late and unannounced visit to the liturgy, and for that it was worth apologizing to the people, as in the case of the subway incident. And again similar to the subway incident invite the boys to you and have a fatherly conversation with them, personally make sure if they really wanted to hit you or not. Maybe you will have an opportunity to give explanations and exclude the repetition of such incidents. unless, of course, you want to exclude it.”
Of course, there will be people who will say that you should respect the state institution, the head of the country, no matter what. Yes, and the head of that same country, regardless of his attitude towards His Holiness, did he respect him, does he respect him when he calls him Kutrich Nersisyan, does he respect the army as an important institution, of course not. Was it respect when the entrance of the Catholicos of All Armenians to the Sardarapat Memorial was blocked by a police wall? And is it respect for the church, the people, God, when the liturgy is “interrupted” by political or service activities? We have always been and are zealous to respect the state institution, for example, the official of the Minister of Defense the status, the position of the military and spiritual authorities, as well as the laws of the Republic of Armenia, the requirements of the constitution, which are so often belittled and disrespected by the country’s leadership and government representatives.
Anyway, let’s assume that the boys are guilty, couldn’t Nikol Pashinyan, who was in a panic, follow the advice of human rights activist Zhanna Aleksanyan, having the following lines of the Lord’s prayer “Our Father” under his eyes? “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Would Pashinyan wish that God would be as “fair” to his greatest and most serious sins as he is to these guys and his opponents?
First of all, it is necessary to understand what kind of political activity Pashinyan, accusing the church of interfering in political processes, tried to implement, which was hindered by 18-year-old boys. And Pashinyan should be more than “forgiving” towards boys aged 18-20, and in this case, try to find out the extent of his moral rights. But more on that later. And now, why does Pashinyan hate especially young people aged 18-20?
168.amin a conversation with Gegham Manukyan, deputy of the Armenia faction of the National Assembly, said:
“In 2018, Nikol Pashinyan made schoolchildren one of his supports, and the 18-year-olds who graduated from public school that year were in the service in 2020. And many of those mandatory soldiers or conscripts died. And these days it is already the third case when minors become the victims of censure of this government because of their attitude and behavior, and the petition for arrest and the special election of Mnatsakan Martirosyan as a judge to examine it shows that Pashinyan’s censure is at an end. Lawyer Ruben Melikyan revealed another scandalous case today, that’s just a boy They are trying to detain him on the charge of hooliganism for his position and opinion.”said the opposition MP.
In this context, let’s return to Pashinyan’s moral right to judge young people aged 18-20, when that young man is not a murderer, not a dangerous criminal, and has become a hero of the “political stampede” independently of his will. In the 44-day war, several thousand conscripts, including those who served for several months, died. And this despite the fact that in April 2022, Nikol Pashinyan announced in the National Assembly: “yes, the war could have been prevented and we would have had the same result, but without the casualties.” In other words, it was possible to prevent them from being killed, but they were killed, as Anna Hakobyan once said: “we lost 4000 davids” and the main reason was not what Hakobyan presented, but what Pashinyan admitted.
Soldiers aged 18-20 fought heroically during the 44-day war, as well as the aggression against Artsakh in September 2023, and deserters should be looked for elsewhere.
It should be noted that after Pashinyan’s above-mentioned confession, among the relatives of those killed in the 44-day war of 2020 were a requirement transfer at that time to the General Prosecutor Artur Davtyan, so that Nikol Pashinyan could be involved as an accused in the criminal case related to the 44-day period and summoned for questioning. According to various reports, he as a witness: was questioned During the 44-day war, a group of high-ranking Armenian officials committed a crime of abusing their official powers within the framework of the criminal proceedings.
Months ago, Pashinyan told journalists that in one case was interrogated for about 5 hours: “my actions have been investigated, can be investigated again and will continue to be investigated»:
Let us add that former Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan had noted որ՝ “At that time, there was no evidence to initiate criminal proceedings against Nikol Pashinyan.”
The other day, it became known that Pashinyan was charged with treason and deliberate victimization a report has been submitted. We think the result under the current government is quite predictable.
And Nikol Pashinyan is indebted to the 18-20 year olds and not only for saving his own son’s life in the 44-day war, who was not even injured (of course, we are happy, he is young). And in 2020 During the 44-day period, Pashinyan’s son, among the soldiers of the military unit formed during martial law died 21 people.
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The inaugural session of the coordinating council of the “Offer to Armenia” project was held
The inaugural meeting of the coordinating council of the “Offer to Armenia” project was held today.
For several hours, authoritative representatives of various fields discussed the “Offer to Armenia” program and ways to make it more accessible. During these months, the members of the council have used their professional potential and potential in the direction of making the “Proposal to Armenia” program as comprehensive and meaningful as possible, and today it can already be said that it has already become a popular program.
Today’s discussion focused on the issues of several key areas: guaranteed peace, economic development, agriculture, youth and the need to fight drug addiction. Due to the absence of a time limit for speeches, an environment of free and mutual trust was formed, where new ideas are born and upcoming actions are outlined.
It can be confidently said that the “Offer to Armenia” re-party project is already taking shape as an important platform for consolidation, uniting professional potential and experience around one goal. It is a space where people from different fields speak one language with the idea of unity and joint efforts to find solutions. When professional thought and responsibility are combined for the benefit of the motherland, the results are not delayed.
Iveta Tonoyan
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Pashinyan and Papikyan do not allow Azerbaijani invasions to be seen.
March: 25, 2026
In response to the claims of Arman Tatoyan, head of the “Wings of Unity” political initiative, about Azerbaijani advances, the RA Ministry of Defense disclaimer was distributed, in which, in particular, it is mentioned.
“The connection of Google Earth space photos with reality has deviations, and the above boundary line has no legal basis. The RA Armed Forces General Directorate is guided by topographical maps of the USSR of 1975, which have legal force and were approved by the head of the Transcaucasus territorial inspection of the State Geodetic Control.
In addition to this, the Ministry of Defense announced through the spokesperson.
“Azerbaijan’s position does not cross the state border and is located in the territory of the Republic of Armenia. There are concerns that the said location may pose a threat to the Sotk mine, Kut settlement and surrounding areas. It should be noted that the distance from the mentioned location to the Sotk mine is about 4 km, and the distance to the Kut settlement is 6.4 km. Furthermore, visibility is not possible between the settlement of Kut and the indicated position because of the presence of Mount Katar.
Arman Tatoyan, head of the “Wings of Unity” political initiative, which submitted an application for participation in the NA elections, today, March 25, at the meeting with journalists, during which he presented their security plan, also referred to the denial of the Ministry of Defense.
“After the press conference, we sent a letter to the person holding the position of the Minister of Defense with the coordinates that we received through satellite photos. We did a study that lasted several months, as a result of which, with the help of Chinese and French satellites, through their photos, we discovered that there were both invasions and strengthening of positions in the territory of Armenia starting from July 2025.
Here, the Ministry of Defense clearly lied and manipulated the issue, focusing it entirely on one position. In fact, they lied there too, because according to our calculations, we have up to 3000 square meters of encroachment there, which is equal to about 9 hectares.
We gave them precise coordinates, both from Chinese and French satellites. And it is based on the results of these satellites that the Google map is formed. They started to manipulate with their lies that we took it from Google map, it is not so, we took it from satellites, based on which the Google map is also formed,” explained Arman Tatoyan, emphasizing that they are speaking with facts, and the statements of the RA Ministry of Defense and Nikol Pashinyan that their facts are lies clearly helped Azerbaijan.
“You are the minister of defense of the country, or the prime minister of the country, how can you say that such things are lies when satellite photos prove it? This means that you clean up Azerbaijan, you clean up Azerbaijan in front of the eyes of other countries and you don’t allow their invasions to be seen,” said Arman Tatoyan.
Details in the video
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Armenpress: Colombia military plane crash kills 66
A Colombian military plane crashed in a takeoff disaster on Monday, killing 66 people as rescuers shuttled dozens of survivors to nearby hospitals and searched for four who were still missing, Reuters reported citing a senior official.
The Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 transport plane was carrying 128 people, including 11 Air Force members, 115 army personnel and two national police officers, according to Hugo Alejandro Lopez, head of the nation’s armed forces.
The death toll was nearly double that of the previous figure given by authorities, who continued search and recovery efforts at the site of the deadly crash.
The accident occurred as the plane was taking off from Puerto Leguizamo, on the border with Peru, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X.
The plane was believed to have suffered an impact near the end of the runway as it was taking off, firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas told Caracol, with a wing of the plane later clipping a tree as it was plummeting, according to Reuters.
The crash caused the plane to catch fire and detonate some sort of explosive devices on board, he added.
Residents of the remote area were the first to pull out survivors, with videos showing men speeding down a dirt road with wounded soldiers on the back of their motorcycles.
Military vehicles later arrived, though authorities said the crash site was difficult to reach, impeding rescue efforts.
Lopez said that 57 of the survivors had been hospitalized, with 30 of them in non-serious condition at a military clinic.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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Trump postponed the strikes against Iran for five days amid the negotiations
US President Donald Trump has decided to postpone the destructive strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure for five days. This sudden cessation of military operations is due to the constructive contacts between Washington and Tehran, which provide a chance for a diplomatic settlement of the crisis.
Yesterday, the head of the White House issued a tough ultimatum, giving Iran exactly 48 hours to completely unblock the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping. In case of rejection, Washington threatened to completely destroy the power plants and key energy facilities of the Islamic Republic. However, tense rhetoric was replaced by diplomatic maneuvers. On his page of the Truth Social network, Trump said that over the past two days, the parties managed to hold deep and detailed discussions.
According to the US president, the negotiations are aimed at a comprehensive resolution of the conflict in the Middle East. Based on the positive tone of those talks, which are set to continue this week, Trump has officially ordered the military to suspend preparations for the strikes for the next five days.
Let’s remind that the unprecedented military escalation in the region started on February 28, with the large-scale attack of the USA and Israel on Iranian territory. On the very first day of the operation, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah was killed Ali Khamenei։
In response to the coalition’s actions, Tehran completely closed the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and began to launch periodic missile attacks on the American military bases located in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, as well as on the territory of Israel. At the same time, the Israeli army expanded the conflict zone, conducting active military operations against Lebanese targets.
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Film on Armenian ‘Hidden Grandmothers’ to Premier at Fresno
The Armenian Studies Program and the Fresno State CineCulture program are presenting the Fresno premiere screening of the film “Armenians, The Hidden Grandmothers,” at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27. The screening is free and open to the public and will be held in the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Educational Center, 5010 N. Woodrow Ave. (west end of the SaveMartCenter), on the Fresno State campus.
Director Alexandra Routhiau Mikaélian, French of Armenian origin, made a promise to her grandfather, to find the members of their family in Turkey based on a simple name, Shahimé, this sister he was never able to meet. From this journey through time in search of the living, Alexandra will lift the veil of one of the most deeply rooted taboos in Turkish society, those for which you still risk your life.
This story is the story of these millions of Armenians and Turks, those we call the “hidden Armenians” or the “remnants of the sword,” descendants of women and children converted and forcibly integrated into the Turkish population during the Armenians genocide. For the first time, we tell the missing stories of these women, victims of the genocide, the Armenian grandmothers who passed on their stories by whispering.
As the writer and lawyer Féthiye Cetin, who appears in the film, explains: “Every Turk discovers that he may have Armenian blood in his veins and every Armenian, including in the diaspora, realizes that he may have Muslim cousins in Turkey.”
111 years after the events of 1915, it is time to open the book of this common history in a documentary but above all the doors of silence, to finally be able to wound together and build bridges towards reconciliation.
Alexandra Routhiau Mikaélian is a French writer, director, and producer of Armenian descent. After ten years as a journalist for French national television channels, she attended “La Fémis school” and began creating and producing her own documentaries. Now as a documentary filmmaker, she focuses her work on the memory of the Armenian diaspora. A form of film therapy framed by the intersection of family stories and universal History. Beyond emotions, her cinema pursues the dream of making films that bring people together and build bridges between peoples.
For more information about the film screening contact the Armenian Studies Program at (559)278-2669, visit the Facebook page @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState or the CineCulture website.
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Armenpress: Armenia’s progress in ensuring gender equality presented at the UN
The 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) was held from 9 to 19 March 2026, under the priority theme of ensuring and strengthening access to justice for women and girls, the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations said in a statement.
It is noted that the delegation of Armenia actively participated in the work of the session and delivered statements at the general discussion, ministerial round table, the High-level meeting on “Violence Against Women and Girls”, as well as other side events.
“Armenian reaffirmed its commitment to preventing violence against women and presented the progress in ensuring gender equality,” reads the statement.
On the margins of the session, the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN organized a side event entitled “From CSW Commitments to CBD COP17: Advancing Gender Equality for Biodiversity Action”, which explored opportunities to further strengthen the interlinkages between the gender equality and biodiversity agendas.
The event was co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of the United Kingdom and the Philippines, UNDP, UN Women and UNFPA.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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Some flights resume at Dubai airport
Some flights at Dubai International Airport have gradually resumed hours after a drone strike, according to local authorities.
The Dubai Media Office, citing the Civil Aviation Authority, reported that flights are operating to select destinations.
Emirates Airline says limited operations have restarted after a hiatus and some cancellations, according to The Associated Press.
A drone struck a fuel tank at the airport early Monday, causing a fire and forcing the temporary suspension of flights, The Associated Press reported. No casualties were reported.
The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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Vance’s South Caucasus Visit: TRIPP and the US Push for Connectivity
By Erlan Benedis-Grab | 16 March 2026
Summary
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Between 9 and 11 February 2026, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited Armenia and Azerbaijan to reinforce bilateral cooperation and keep the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) high on the Trump administration’s South Caucasus agenda.
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Vance’s visit highlights growing U.S. influence in the South Caucasus, reflecting both the relative success of U.S. mediation between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Washington’s willingness to deepen engagement in a region long viewed as within Russia’s sphere of influence. Georgia’s exclusion from the trip also points to shifting U.S. regional priorities.
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TRIPP is likely to keep advancing, while U.S.-Armenia nuclear cooperation and broader regional connectivity efforts increase pressure on Russia and could gradually reshape South Caucasus trade and energy flows.
Context
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance made a historic visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan in February 2026, meeting with both presidents to announce new bilateral agreements and to further promote TRIPP. It is the first time since Joe Biden’s visit to Georgia in 2009 that a high-level U.S. official has visited the Caucasus.
A centrepiece of the August 2025 US-brokered framework between Armenia and Azerbaijan, TRIPP is a proposed transit corridor across southern Armenia intended to connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave and onward to Türkiye.
In Yerevan, Vance and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed to a USD 11m US defence sale, including V-BAT reconnaissance drones, signed a statement concluding negotiations on a US–Armenia “1-2-3” civil nuclear cooperation agreement, and highlighted expanded AI cooperation by approving the export of tens of thousands of advanced NVIDIA GPUs.
In Baku, Vance met with President Aliyev and signed a U.S.–Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership Charter highlighting AI, energy and defence cooperation. Additionally, the US pledged further patrol ships to assist Azerbaijan in protecting its waters.
During both stops, TRIPP was featured prominently: Armenia and the US reaffirmed implementation, while the US–Azeri Strategic Partnership Charter also emphasised TRIPP’s economic potential.
Implications
Vance’s South Caucasus tour was intended to keep TRIPP from stalling. TRIPP serves the broader strategy of the US-backed connectivity agenda linking Central Asia to Europe(especially along the energy lines), with Washington positioning itself as the key broker and convener.
The US is making bold moves in the South Caucasus. Russia once positioned itself as the region’s primary security guarantor, but its credibility eroded after its peacekeepers failed to meaningfully deter Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive against Armenia, which subsequently suspended its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). By building joint and bilateral relations between the two nations, the US is positioning itself strongly in a strategically sensitive region, where both states sit adjacent to Russia and Iran.
Washington has also positioned itself as a leading contender to replace Armenia’s ageing Soviet-era nuclear plant with small modular reactors, and the signed 1-2-3 agreement helps clear a legal hurdle that could tilt the eventual procurement decision toward U.S. suppliers. On top of that, Vance said the nuclear track could unlock up to USD 9bin potential investment for the project. Rosatom remains one of the few Russian state-linked exports that is globally competitive. Losing an Armenian bid would undercut Russian prestige in an area it previously thought itself uncontested. In response, Russia has dismissed U.S. reactor designs as “untested,” while the Secretary of Russia’s State Council and former defence minister Sergei Shoigu raised safety concerns about Washington’s plans.
Notably, Vance did not stop in Georgia. Once Washington’s closest partner in the region, Georgia is now effectively watching from the sidelines as US engagement shifts to Yerevan and Baku. Georgia’s recent democratic backsliding and the ruling Georgian Dream party’s sustained hostility toward Washington help explain why the US chose to pass it by. The result is a diminished Georgian role, with more attention on Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Forecast
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Short-term (Now – 3 months)
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TRIPP is likely to keep advancing through working groups and feasibility milestones, while it is possible that major construction will wait on customs/security rules.
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It is likely that there will be a modest increase in energy exports from Azerbaijan to Armenia as early confidence-building economic measures continue.
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Russian pushback and friction will rise in parallel: Russia (and possibly Iran) will almost certainly increase political and information pressure on Armenia. Moscow will highlight USSR-era nuclear cooperation between Russia and Armenia, and is highly likely to offer Armenia attractive financing terms.
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Medium-term (3 – 12 months)
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There is a realistic possibility that the 1-2-3 track could translate into a US-backed procurement process for Armenia’s nuclear plant, intensifying Russian pressure and shaping the broader trajectory of the US–Armenia alignment.
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It is highly likely that Russia will intensify political friction around Armenia’s 2026 elections, expanding influence operations to blunt Yerevan’s pro-West pivot.
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Long-term (>1 year)
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There is a realistic possibility that if TRIPP is implemented, it could rewire regional trade and energy flows. It would embed Armenia and Azerbaijan in a shared infrastructure ecosystem and strengthen connectivity in the Central Asia–South Caucasus–Europe direction.
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